4 arrested for burglaries in Westlake, 2 live in Avon Lake

WESTLAKE -- Police have arrested four suspects, including two Avon Lake residents, in connection with a string of burglaries in Westlake, Bay Village, Avon Lake and perhaps Avon. The quartet is being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail.

The burglars were careful and picky when they went in to homes, so two of the three Westlake victims didn't know anything was missing until officers told them, police said.

Tips led police to suspects Chelsea Alurovic, 25, and Stephen Zywotek, 25, both of Avon Lake, who were charged with burglary and drug related crimes; and Doran Sutphin, 33, and Matthew Graff, 24, both of Cleveland, who are charged with burglary. All are suspects in break-ins on Glenbrook Court, Mendelssohn Drive and Settlers Reserve Way in Westlake. Details were not available yesterday about break-ins in the other cities.

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Westlake Police said the suspects took items that wouldn't be missed right away such as jewelry and medication.

"There may be other break-ins that have not been discovered by the victims, especially if jewelry is missing," said Westlake police Capt. Guy Turner. "In all the instances, the suspects were neat and did not ransack the homes."

Alurovic and Zywotek were arrested Nov. 13, a day after witnesses saw their red Jeep parked in the driveway of a Glenbrook Court home. Graff was arrested Nov. 16 and Sutphin was arrested Nov. 19, police said.

A resident told police someone broke in through his garage door and took jewelry and prescription drugs.

Shortly after breaking into the Glenbrook Court home, Alurovic and Zywotek were seen looking into the windows of two homes on Brahms Drive. The suspects left when the residents answered the door or looked out the windows, according to police.

"A number of witnesses saw a red Jeep," Turner said. In many cases, the suspects knocked on the door, and if someone would answer, they would ask a generic question such as, "Is Joe home?" and then leave.

Police said Alurovic and Zywotek admitted taking jewelry in two previously undiscovered burglaries on Mendelssohn Drive and Settlers Reserve Way. One homeowner said she thought she misplaced the items. Police received tips from residents that first identified Zywotek and Alurovic as being involved and then later linked Graff and Sutphin to the burglaries.